Signaling device for motor-vehicles.



K, HALL SUSNAL'ING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.- APPLICATION ,FILEDAPR.13,I916- JLQMJLMA. Y Patented July 24,- 1917.

prune arr r onrrbn BENJAMIN K. HALL, OF MERRIMAC, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BEN T. PICKARD, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

earner.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24:, 1917.

Application filed April 13, 1916. Serial No. 91,500.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN K. HALL, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Merrimac, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improve merits inSignaling Devices for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to signaling devices for motor cars andparticularly to devices of this character which are adapted to indicatethe direction in which the car is about to be turned. 7

The object of the invention is to provide a simple but effective meanswhereby the direction in which the car is to, be turned may be indicatedto the drivers of approaching cars and also to the drivers of carsfollowing.

The invention consists in a pivoted member of peculiar construction andnormally hidden which is under the control of the driver of the car andwhich may be moved outwardly into an exposed position when desired.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of constructionand arrange ment of parts which will be fully understood by reference tothe description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred formthereof is illustrated in the'drawings, this form having been found togive satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understoodthat the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists canbe variously arranged and organized, and that the invention is notlimited to the precise arrange ment and organization of theseinstrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents an elevation of a portion of a car showing a deviceattached thereto embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 represents an elevation of the signal thereof.

Fig. 1 represents an edge view of the same.

Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of the same in its normal position.

Fig. 6 represents a similar view in operatlve position.

Fig. 7 represents an elevation of the lower end ofthe pivoted signallever and its support.

Fig. 8 represents a side elevation of the same in its normal position. 1

Fig. 9 represents a similar view when the signal lever has been movedinto its operative position, and

Fig. 10 represents an elevation of the operating handle for controllingthe movement of said signal lever.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figuresof the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 represents a portion of the body of a motor carhaving an up right 11 secured thereto at one side of the usual windshield 12. Glamped or otherwise secured to the upright 11 is a container13 having its outer side opened as indicated in Fig. l of the drawings.Normally positioned within the container 13 is a forked member 1 1having a flat plate 15 pivotally mounted therein at 16.

The forked member 141 is secured to the end of a tubular member or lever17, the lower end of which is pivoted at 18 to a support 19 secured to aside of the body of the ear. The lever 17 is provided with an outwardlyextending arm 20 from which a wire 21 extends through a pliable pipe 22to an operating handle 28 pivoted at 24: to a bracket 25 mounted on thecar at a point accessible to the driver thereof.

A spring 26 is interposed between the bracket 25 and the operatinghandle 23, this spring serving to retain the handle in its normalposition, as indicated in Fig. 10 of the drawings, or in its abnormalposition, as indicated in dotted lines in the same figure.

l/Vhen the handle 23 has been moved from its normal position as shown inFig. 10 of the drawings into the position shown in dotted lines, thefiexible connector 21 will be drawn through the pipe 22, thereby causingthe lever 1('20 to be moved about its pivot 18 intothe positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings;

A flexible member 27 extends through the tubular member 17 and has oneend thereof secured to the support 19. at 28 while its op.-

posite end is secured to a pin 29 extending latera y f om h Plate 1.5 aone side the pivot thereof. Normally the plate 15 extends longitudinallyof the forked member 1 1, but when the lever l720 is moved into theposition indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the plate15 will be moved about the pivot 16 until it is perpendicular to themember lei, thereby forming a cross, as indicated in Fig. 6 of thedrawings. a

The support 19 is provided with acoiled spring 30, one end of which isattached at 31 to the arm 20, this spring having sulficient tension toreturn the lever .1720 to its normal position when the operating handie23 has been moved about its pivot 24 to the position shown in fulllinesin Fig. 10 of the drawings.

About thepivot 16 is a spring 32 which is adapted to move the plate 15about the pivot 16 and return it to a position in aline ment with thetubular. member 17 Thereturn movement of the plate 15 about its pivot 16is limited by means of the stop member'33, as shownin Figs. 3, 4:, 5,and 6 of the drawings.

While in the drawings a signal device is shownfor only one side of thecar, it is obvious that the same construction should be repeated for theother side of the car. The signal formed of the U-shaped member 14: andthe pivoted plate 15 is painted red for one side of the car, and greenfor the other. When the chauffeur isabout to turn his car in eitherdirection, he seizes the proper operating handle 23 and moves it aboutits pivot to throw the signal lever into the position shown in dottedlines on Fig. 2 of the drawings. While in this position it is exposedto'view to cars coming in either direction.

Another advantage of the device is that when the signal is moved intoits operative position it indicates to the trafiic officer the directionin which the driver 'of'the car desires to turn.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of this inventionwill be fully apparent from the foregoing description.

'H aving thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fixedsupport; a swinging lever pivotally mounted thereon; a fixed platesecured to the outer end thereof; a

movable plate pivoted to said fixed plate; and means operable by theswinging of said. lever for moving said pivoted plate relatively to saidfixed plate.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fixedsupport; a swinging lever pivotally mounted thereon; a fixed platesecured to the outer end thereof; a movable plate pivoted to said fixedplate; means operable by the swinging of said lever for moving saidipivoted plate relatively to sa fixed P and a spring adap e o returnsaid pivoted plate to its normal position.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fixedsupport; a swinging lever pivotally mounted thereon; a fixed plate.secured to the outer end thereof; a movable plate pivoted to. said fixedplate; means operable by the swinging of said lever, for moving saidpivoted plate relatively to said fixed plate; and a stationary containeradapted to inclose said plates when not in use.

4E. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fixedsupport; a tubular 'member. pivotally mounted thereon and adapted toswing about its pivot; a fixed plate secured to the outer end thereof; a

normally in contact with said projection;

and means operable by the swinging of said lever for moving said pivotedplate relatively to the projection on said fixed plate.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fixedsupport; a swinging lever pivotally mounted thereon; a fixed platesecured to the outer end thereof; a movable plate pivoted to said fixedplate; means operable by the swinging of said lever forfmov-ing saidpivoted plate perpendicularly to said fixed plate; means for moving saidlever from its'normal position; and a spring for returning said lever toits normal position.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fixedsupport; a swinging lever pivotally mounted thereon; a fixed.

a movable plate pivoted midway of its length to saidfixed plate; andmeans operable by the swinging of said arm for moving said movable fixedplate.

plateperpendicularly to. said I 8. In a device of the class described,the arm for moving said movable plate perpencombination of a fixedsupport; a swinging dicularly to said fixed plate. 1 lever pivotallymounted thereon; a fixed Signed by me at 4; Post Ofiice Sq., Boston,plate secured to the outer end of said lever; Mass, this 7th day ofApril, 1916.

:5 a movable plate pivoted midway of its BENJAMIN K. HALL.

length to said fixed plate at a point substan- Witnesses:

tially midway of the length of the latter WALTER G. LOMBARD,

and means operable by the swinging of said MARY G. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

